Student play features music of Foo Fighters

After three years, senior Codey Girten finally saw his musical take the stage of the Buskirk-Chumley Theater last week.\n“February Stars: The Foosical” is a college love story based on the music of alternative rock band the Foo Fighters. Girten, the director, created the rock musical for his senior project as part of the Individualized Major Program.\n“There hasn’t been a single part of the process that’s been a downer,” Girten said.\nThe Brewskies, a cover band from Louisville, Ky., performed the songs. The band attracted quite a few hard-core Brewskies fans that came up from Louisville just to watch them perform.\n“Those guys really wailed,” said Lauren Davis, one of the many Brewskies fans from Louisville.\nThe band’s energy on stage was an added bonus to the show. With the harder rocking songs, the band pumped out pure energy, while at other times they were strictly background for the singers.\n“They know they’re part of the show,” said Girten, adding that he felt that having the band on stage increased the overall impact on the cast’s energy as well as the audience’s.\nGirten uses each Foo Fighters’ song as part of the story, though each song is a story itself as well. The dialogue segued neatly into each song, which at times caused some of the lyrics or dialogue to be drowned out by music until the levels were adjusted. \n“I thought it went really smooth for as little as we rehearsed,” said guitarist Matthew Clinard, who mentioned the small amount of time the band spent rehearsing with the cast.\nThe story involves the strengthening and weakening of relationships among college students. Johnny, played by Tyler Wolfcale, is in a long-term relationship with his girlfriend, Kat, played by sophomore Aly Bloom. After they have a minor argument, Johnny’s older brother Donnie, junior Owen Stevenson, encourages him to take a minivacation. This leads into Johnny singing “Learn to Fly” as he heads out of town. While out of town, Johnny never calls Kat and she worries about him. This leads into the song “Everlong,” which itself is about waiting for a loved one.\nDonnie is a regular at the local bar, The Red Door, and lacks motivation. Throughout the musical Donnie discourages Johnny from staying in a relationship with Kat, saying that a man needs to be free. Donnie “accidentally” forgets to tell Kat where Johnny is and they break up.\nBeneath this story of lost love and a brother’s betrayal, a separate relationship develops. Kat’s friend Caroline meets Ramond and they fall in love. Ramond, played by junior Jacob Dahm, is awkward with girls and has trouble talking to her. With advice from Johnny, he eventually lands the girl.\nWhen Johnny finally convinces Kat to give him another chance, they get back together. But Donnie ruins it yet again by mentioning one of Johnny’s trysts with a shady lady. In the end, Johnny loses the woman he loves and realizes his brother is a jerk.\nStevenson claimed he received hateful stares from people after the show because of his performance as an inconsiderate and self-centered older brother.\n“Nobody likes me because I’m a dick,” he said.